It Began With You
by GoWashTheLights
Summary: During a seemingly harmless car chase, John and Dorian are in a terrible accident. John once again lies in a coma, and not only is Dorian watching over, but Anna, as well.
1. Chapter One

**Author Note:** This idea decided to come to mind today. We'll see where it goes, because I've been trying to put Anna in a story forever! She's so mysterious!

**DISCLAIMER:** I don't own Almost Human, its characters, etc.

* * *

Chapter One

* * *

The cruiser hit the median strip, hard enough to flip it impressively into opposing traffic. Horns were honking, cars were swerving, and the screeching of breaks echoed along the freeway. John's car hit the asphalt with a sickening crunch, and glass exploded from every window; it took a full six seconds for it to stop spinning on its hood.

For a moment, there was an eerie silence, like the world had stopped. From their vehicles, people climbed out with hands over their mouths. One man could be heard yelling, "Someone call an ambulance!"

"They didn't survive that..."

From inside, Dorian clung to the dashboard, his fingers breaking through the molding. He huffed a breath once he realized the car had stopped; the air bag had employed too late, hitting his head uncomfortably. As his sensors and visuals kicked back on, he looked immediately at John. The Detective was unconscious, and a steady stream of blood ran down his face. "John? John, are you okay?"

An electric burst shot through Dorian, and he winced. It had come from near his eye; as he felt around his face, he found that the skin had been torn away. He felt a gentle hand on his right shoulder, and turned. There was a wide-eyed man there. "A-Are you...oh." His face suddenly became uninterested. "It's just a bot! Let's get the other guy from the car, this thing's fried!"

Dorian frowned in disapproval. Before he could argue that he was _not_ just a bot, _or_ fried, the man was gone. Still able-bodied, Dorian unbuckled his clasp and eased himself right side up. Carefully he unbuckled John, and a pair of hands reached for him on the other side. It was a different man, who seemed surprised to see Dorian moving around. John was taken from the car and placed at a safe distance from the wreckage. Dorian helped himself out, and gave a scowl to the first man he'd seen before moving to his partner.

John was still breathing, and his heart still beating, thankfully. Dorian called and called to him, but there was no response. His head wound was bleeding too much, so Dorian placed his hand over it to suffocate the flow. "John, can you hear me? If you can, open your eyes. You need to stay awake for me, John."

It happened jut as the paramedics arrived. John's eyes staggered open, and he placed them, unfocused, on Dorian. His shaky hand reached up to touch Dorian's, and the DRN smiled. He nodded and said, "Stay with me, John. You'll be okay, I promise."

The ambulance personnel worked quickly. They settled John into the stretcher, placed him into the back, and slammed the doors before driving off. By then, more than a few officers from the precinct had arrived, Detective Paul being one. "What happened?" He barked. "I thought you two were chasing a speeder!"

Dorian threw him a look. "We were, until we were rear-ended by a van. Another one hit us at the right angle to make us flip."

Paul huffed, placing his hands on his hips; a Pit maneuver, simple but effective. He himself preferred the tactic during a chase, but not with a_ van_, for crying out loud. "How bad is Kennex?"

Dorian looked uncertain. "He suffered a head injury, which was still bleeding quite a bit before the ambulance arrived. I didn't get the change to examine him further."

"Hm. Well, have someone take you back to the station, get patched up. Give Maldonado the details about it, and don't skimp on 'em."

Dorian wasn't going to. He would be grateful to get back to Rudy, and explain why he thought this entire chase was a set up. Dorian wasn't sure if it was aimed at John or not, but he had to keep all possibilities open.

* * *

Sandra hung up the phone. As she sat alone in her office, watching her officers busily march by, she felt sick. This just couldn't be happening again.

She remained in her chair, eyes closed, until she'd composed herself. It was eight in the morning - John usually headed out the door with Dorian around now. Not today, though, and probably not for a few months. She stood, fixed her shirt, and headed out where Dorian was working with Detective Stahl. Valerie noticed her first and got up from her desk, noting the concerned expression.

"Captain, is something the matter?" Dorian asked upon her arrival.

Sandra hesitated. "...I just got off the phone with one of the doctors looking after John. It's been a week, and they've...declared him as comatose."

Valerie reacted immediately. Her hand was drawn over her eyes, and she moaned quietly. "Poor John."

"He may not make it, considering his medical history these past couple of years."

Dorian remained still. He remembered the cut having been higher up, so it would have been classified as brain damage. If John got out of this alive, he was going to have to start all over again. Physical therapy, speech therapy, perhaps...and his memories. How much of them would be gone? Dorian averted his gaze from the women until he felt a hand on his shoulder.

Sandra looked up at him regretfully. "Dorian, I'm so sorry. I want you to know that you'll still be commissioned here, and you're free to see John as much as you'd like. The doctor explained that visitation may start tomorrow; I'd be happy to accompany you."

Dorian nodded, distrusting his vocal output. He excused himself with another top of his head, and didn't stop walking until he reached the lab. There, he greeted Rudy by falling into one of the chairs. "I don't feel right, Doctor Lom..." He muttered.

Rudy was quick to be at his side. "Dorian, what's happened? Are you malfunctioning? Here, why don't you just - "

"No, I'd like to sit, please," Dorian replied politely. He wasn't twitching or shorting out, but he felt unusual hiccups running through his chest plate. "The Captain just told me that John is in a coma. She explained that he...might die from it."

Rudy observed him solemnly, and understanding washed over him. He crouched back down next to Dorian, and placed a hand on his arm. He watched as blue lights flickered across the DRN's cheek, and a sad smile graced his lips. "This is what crying feels like," he whispered.

Dorian looked both worried and awed. "I'm crying?"

Rudy gave a half-shrug. "I suppose. It's the closest you're ever going to get to it, so hold onto it. John will be all right, okay?"

"..How do you know? Dorian asked.

The technician stood, and ran a hand over the back of Dorian's head. "I just know it. You might slow him down a bit, but he's unstoppable."

That comforted Dorian greatly. He kept that mindset during the day, and through to the next one when he found himself sitting at John's bedside. His emotions felt more in-check, and as he stroked John's hand he felt peace. John hadn't sustained many more injuries - a broken arm and a cracked rib - and in his stasis he looked remarkably unharmed. His head, however, was a different matter.

Nearly half of John's short hair was hidden under bandage wraps. A gauze pad was taped near his left eye, which sported an ugly, purplish bruise. Dorian instinctively wanted to touch it, to understand his pain and connect, but not even humans could do that. Each individual understood that concept personally, and it was different for everyone. Dorian had learned what his own felt like, all because of this man.

The room was quiet until there was a subtle knock on the door. Unnecessarily, Dorian whispered, "Come in." John wouldn't be disturbed, of course. In walked a female with a tender smile. Her complexion was an olive brown, very pretty, and her hair was dark. There was a slight dimple to her upturn as she nodded to him.

"Good morning. I see that you're here for John."

Dorian regarded her carefully. "Yes. He's my work partner - my name is Dorian. Yours?" He extended his hand, which was taken kindly.

"I'm Grace. I'm...well, I know Mr. Kennex, from a few years back. I just moved back into the city, and when I heard about this, I had to hurry over."

Dorian couldn't help it. His programming was already scanning her, recognizing facial profile and background information. Grace was a school teacher, and her history had been as such for nearly six years. Everything quickly checked out, so he motioned for her to sit. "I see. The doctors said he'll need some time to recover, but I'm happy to share the time spent waiting with you."

Grace smiled, her eyes resting on John's sleeping form. _I'm back, John__,_ she thought, _wake up soon._

* * *

_For those curious, Grace = Anna. Even though that's not her real name anyways, haha. _


	2. Chapter Two

**Author Note: **Thanks for the reviews! It's been such a long week, but I finally have today and tomorrow off work! Yayuh!

_EDIT:_ Whenever Anna is on her own, she's "Anna" (even though that's probably not her real name, we were never told otherwise). When she's around Dorian or anyone else, she's "Grace". I hope it doesn't get too confusing...

* * *

Chapter Two

* * *

Anna entered her small home, which lay a couple miles from the Wall. She had her phone pressed to her ear already as she tossed her keys onto a side table. It'd been such a long day, and she didn't want to have to call in, but she had to.

She'd made it over to the couch before there was an answer. "You're late," her boss, Adam, answered.

She scowled reproachfully. "I know. I was stuck grading school papers again. I really can't wait to get this teaching gig over and done with..."

Adam's tone changed, more soft. "I understand. You've done well already, though, with the DRN. You're sure he didn't suspected anything?"

"No," Anna replied, shaking her head. "As long as he's been John's partner, he's never seen my face. I don't even think he knew my name, but..." She trailed off, thinking of John. "My information all checks out, and I keep my visits limited and separate from him - which is rare, because he's nearly always there. It's...nice seeing John again."

Adam gave a dark chuckle. "Don't get sentimental now. Just keep the scrubber treatments going, and when he wakes up, you can have fun."

Anna rolled her eyes. Every time she was in to see John, she would place a small amount of the memory wiper that Scrubber technicians would use, into a tube connected to John's wrist. Though the accident probably would have given him enough amnesia, John couldn't be a risk in knowing anything about Anna. Not if she wanted this to work. She realized she'd fallen silent, and cleared her throat. "We could have killed him, you know."

"If we would have, it wouldn't have mattered. It would be onto the next assignment, no sweat off our back," Adam retorted. "Like I said, don't get all sappy on me. The Anna _I_ know, knows exactly what she wants and how to get it - without emotion getting in the way."

Anna decided to end the conversation there. She hung up, shaking her head moodily. So what if she had her feelings for John Kennex? She _was_ going to get her way, back into his life, and back to normal. All she'd ever wanted was him, even when it was he who was in her way before. She sighed; two years, almost three, was a long time to straighten one's life out, and at least John had done that much. Anna had monitored him all the way, and now, she would be there to help him this time.

She turned her phone on silent for the night before going to bed. Adam wouldn't be happy if she ignored his call, but she was grumpy. Only a decent night's sleep was going to cure it, so she got into her pajamas and went straight to bed.

* * *

There was a knock at the door. Dorian turned and called, "Come in!"

Valerie timidly walked into the room, shutting it quietly behind her. In her hands was a simple bouquet, and she gave Dorian a smile as she placed them on the table by the wall. "Hey, good morning."

Dorian returned the smile. "Good morning, Detective Stahl. How are you?"

She glanced at John. "Better than the both of you. You really look tired, Dorian."

He shifted casually. "I'm fine, Rudy will be here soon to give me a boost. Thank you for bringing flowers, it's very sweet of you."

Valerie looked back to John, then took his hand into hers. "How is he doing today?"

Dorian's face lit up as he scanned his partner sadly. That was all he ever did anymore, to pass the time. He sighed and gave her a reassuring smile. "Same old John Kennex, lazing around."

Valerie looked at him, and patted his hand. "Dorian...are you okay? Can I help you with anything?"

The DRN shook his head. "No, but thank you. Just knowing that you care enough to be here every week - or more - is enough."

She wasn't sure how to respond. She only smiled at him, as convincingly as she could, and apologized as she had to head to work. She excused herself, then headed back out the door. After a moment, Dorian let out a breath. He moved closer to John's bed, folded his arms onto the mattress, and rested his head against them. His eyes were on his partner, waiting as always for any movement. Any sign that he would make it.

It had been over a month. Dorian spent every day at the hospital, thanks to Maldonado. He'd learned to care for John, keep him company, and keep to himself. Since not many in the world favored the MX, Dorian's presence was often questioned. Not in a harsh way, but people were definitely curious; they greeted him politely, but left him be unless they were checking on John.

Dorian heaved a sigh. He'd realized recently the unfortunate habit, and had asked Rudy about it. "I do it all the time, and I feel like there's a...weight on me, Rudy. I start the day with a full charge, and by the time you come around, I'm ready to pass out, man."

Rudy had thought about it for a few minutes. He'd muttered about "malfunction" this, or "user error" that, but an odd expression crossed his face. He looked at Dorian, and placed a hand on his chest. "There's nothing wrong with you. You're just...sad. I'd even dare to say, depressed. It's a perfectly natural emotion, and you're just experiencing it."

Dorian had been less than enthusiastic over the information. He was designed to feel, comprehend and learn feelings, but he hadn't anticipated this one. John had frustrated him, and comforted him, but never had he made Dorian feel so hopeless. Dorian didn't blame him, but it was scary. Rudy had also explained that being down meant less energy, less motivation, and humans often ended up shutting down in their own way. Dorian couldn't risk that, but he just couldn't pull himself out of this.

Rudy showed up not an hour later. He had a bright smile on his face, something he tried to keep up around the DRN. "Hey, afternoon, Dorian! How are you?"

"Ready for a nap," Dorian replied gratefully, eyeing the briefcase with the charging cables. "Thank you for bringing them."

Rudy laughed. "Not any different than any other day since this started, now is it?"

"No, but I appreciate it." Dorian hooked himself up, and Rudy did the honors of plugging the cable into the wall. Rudy was the second person, besides Valerie, to remind Dorian that he had a purpose - that he was doing something good. It was the last thought he always had before he charged down for a few hours.


	3. Chapter Three

**Author Note: **Hey, here's another chapter, just for you guys! Thanks for following and such!

* * *

Chapter Three

* * *

Avery walked into the patient's room, ready to carry on about her business like she did every day.

She noticed that the DRN wasn't in, which was rare. That guy spent his every moment watching John Kennex. Avery spent a moment _herself_ observing the dark-haired man. He'd lost a little more weight, and his hair was growing out - a disaster, really. The bandage wrap he'd sported was now only a patch, and the doctor said it was healing nicely. In fact, he would be waking up any day now.

Avery worked on the sheets first, then the pillow. She was careful with the patient's head, and rested it back onto the fabric once it was fluffed. She tucked him in one last time, then stood up straight -

"Ah!"

She yelped as her eyes met his. They were open, unfocused, so Avery just stood still for a moment. He seemed as though he would pass out again, but then, his left hand reached out to her. It shook unsteadily, but he was beckoning to her. She dared to move closer, and his fingers trailed along the side of her face. He breathed in relief, and tried to speak.

"Wh...Wh..."

"Y...You're awake. A-Aren't you?" She asked carefully. She'd been warned of things like this - he might not actually be aware of his actions.

However, he nodded, so she took his hand and grinned. His mouth twitched in a near imitation, but it never grew.

"Aha! This is great! This is - I have to get the Doctor, just stay with me." She emphasized the last three words, and he nodded. Avery pressed the call button, and not five minutes later, herself, the doctor, and another nurse were in the room. The doctor did a quick examination, and the others stayed back so as to not overwhelm.

"Do you understand me?" He asked quietly. John nodded again. "Do you know your name?" John remained still. The doctor held up his pointer finger and said, "Follow my finger." John did so, slowly but with determination. He even reached out, and wrapped a shaky hand around the finger. The doctor smiled. "Looks like you'll be okay, John." The patient looked up curiously. "That's your name - John. Do you remember that?"

This time, John gave a half-shrug. He opened his mouth, then closed it once more and frowned.

"Avery, go ahead and contact his supervisor about this." The doctor stood, satisfied. "Let her know that she and any others may visit tomorrow, as long as he remains stable - "

"Dorian," John suddenly called, clearly as if he'd just been speaking. Everyone turned to him, which seemed to make him look as though he was confused over saying it. He didn't repeat it when asked, but when the word was mentioned again, the monitor for John's heart would beep faster. He looked anxious, so the doctor decided to let it go for then.

"Wait," said Avery. "I think that's the name of the DRN that's been keeping an eye on him - the one with those bright eyes, remember?" She asked her coworker, who shrugged. Avery turned to the doctor, her expression set. "In fact, I'm sure, because I remember thinking it was so odd that he had a name. That might be his partner."

"Well, we'll take a note of it, and be sure to mention it to the Captain of his precinct. For now," the doctor looked at John and smiled again, "at least we have this much."

* * *

Dorian couldn't help but pace back and forth. His eyes moved up towards Maldonado in her office, and he fought the temptation to signal in the call. From her expression, she seemed extremely relieved, and Dorian had to assume it was meant for John.

"Dorian, it'll be okay," Valerie's voice soothed. "Just relax."

Dorian finally nodded. He sat down in the nearest chair, and resorted to drumming his fingers together in a facade of thought. He didn't want others to think he was malfunctioning; he'd had enough problems staying commissioned without John being his active partner. It wasn't until Maldonado appeared at his feet that he finally looked up from the plain, uninteresting carpet.

"Captain?" He asked knowingly.

She beamed at him. "Dorian, I have good news. John just woke up a few hours ago, so they're making sure he's stable before we can go and see him."

Valerie placed a hand over her chest, and breathed in relief. "That's really good news! What else did they say?"

"Honestly, they didn't divulge much, but they did tell me that he seems very responsive. He's not speaking, but he nods or shakes his head when questioned. Er, Dorian, are you...all right?" She gave a nervous laugh, placing her hands on his shoulders.

Dorian was only glad he'd remained sitting. That familiar, achy, non-actual physical pain had stirred inside him, and he took a couple of steadying breaths. He smiled and looked up at Sandra. "Trust me, I'm just fine. I'm looking forward to seeing him again."

The next morning, Rudy and Dorian drove out directly to the hospital. Maldonado had taken Valerie with her first, and when they returned, they both seemed uncertain. They were happy that he was awake, but he had no recollection of them. John didn't seem to know who he himself was, except responding to the name he understood he'd been given. The women wished the two men some serious luck, and Dorian's nerves had returned by the time he walked through the front doors.

A few people greeted him familiarly, but Dorian only gave polite nods to each. He wasn't in the mood for light chatter, and Rudy had to remind him more than once on the way to the room to calm down. "We can't expect big steps from John yet. We have to be patient, and understand any...setbacks he might be struggling with."

A nurse named Avery was the one to escort them. She regarded the DRN curiously, then cleared her throat as she stopped in front of a door. "Before we go in, there's something we need to inform you about." She was looking directly at Dorian. She asked if that was his name, to which he responded a cautious 'yes'. Avery nodded and continued. "That's the only thing he said yesterday when he woke up, just once. Since then, he's been really quiet, but if he hears your name, he gets a little uneasy. We're not sure what it means."

Rudy decided on a little positive reinforcement. "Well, there you go! If you're the only one he remembers, that's something, isn't it?" He patted Dorian's shoulder, and it did comfort a little.

Avery went into the room first, spoke with John quietly, then ushered the other two inside. Rudy was first, and gave John a careful, nervous wave. Dorian was hesitant, but a push from the nurse eased him past the door. She stood by it quietly to observe the scene.

"Hey, John, h-how are you?" Rudy asked. He took an empty seat, smiling brightly. "Er, I don't know if you remember me - I'm Rudy Lom - I work with you, that is...um..." He cleared his throat, glancing at Dorian. "Do you...remember me, John?"

John sighed in frustration, and shook his head. He looked apologetic and shrugged, then cleared his throat. "S...Suh..."

Rudy held up his hands. "Don't stress yourself, eh? I'm just here to check on you, talk your ear off - kind of like before." He laughed to himself, and John cracked a hesitant smile. He shrugged again, then looked at Dorian.

Dorian just stared back. He felt a mixture of immense relief and happiness - John was awake! - and anger. Someone had done this to John, left him in this state, and now he had to start all over again. It was heartbreaking. Dorian took a couple of steps forward and finally said, "John, my name is...Dorian. Do you remember - "

The heart monitor was going off. John flinched as if he'd been shocked, and he held his head as he shrunk against the propped up mattress. He refused to look at Dorian, and shook his head pleadingly at Rudy. "N...No. Dorian, n-no."

Rudy's stomach dropped in disappointment. He turned and stood, placing a hand on Dorian's shoulder. "Listen, er, why don't you wait outside. I think he might just be, er, remembering something. You're triggering something in him."

"That should be good, shouldn't it?"

Rudy bit his lip uncertainly, but Avery stepped in. "Dorian, come with me, please. John is nervous, and being in here isn't helping. I need you to come with me."

Dorian nearly fought it. If he'd been human, he could yell and act as distressed as he'd like, but...it wasn't that simple. He was a machine, designed for perfect connection. If he reacted, he'd be viewed no differently than a virus-ridden computer. They'd decommission and toss him so quickly, not even he would have time to process it. He was taken to the waiting room, where he sat alone until Rudy arrived at his side.

"How is he?" He asked.

Rudy sighed. "He's okay. He calmed down after you'd gone, and now he's sleeping. He tries to stay awake as long as possible, and the doctors say he'd doing really well - " Rudy paused, noting Dorian's expression. "Right, not the time, I get it. Why don't we head back for now?"

Dorian couldn't argue. He only nodded, and Rudy walked with him out into the fresh air. It was a beautiful day, but for once, Dorian hardly noticed.


	4. Chapter Four

**Author Note: **Thank you for your reviews! This one has had really positive feedback, I'm so happy!

* * *

Chapter Four

* * *

John woke with a start, looking around his room wildly. He eventually calmed down, realizing where he was, and he couldn't even remember the dream. In the safety of his room at the therapy ward, he checked the time from the clock provided. He jumped up in a panic - it was nearly noon, and he was late for his session.

He dressed himself in bed, hopped into his wheelchair, and buzzed the button that the nurse had instructed him to push to alert his therapist. He frowned, thinking as he waited. What was the nurse's name again? He moved to his side table, finding his small notepad. It was a spiral-back, paper and everything, which John appreciated. He looked at the first page and found 'Nurse Avery - woman with the green eyes'. He smiled as he remembered her face, and moved to the next one. 'Jeremy - physical therapist'. John nodded, and moved to the next one. As he had previously for the past two months, he paused, and ran his fingers over the paper. On it was written 'Grace', and a soft smile crossed John's lips.

Grace was apparently an old friend of his, and as much progress as John's memory had made, it wasn't enough. He would lay in bed for hours and try to find something - an experience of theirs, perhaps - but there was nothing. John felt bad, but Grace was a patient woman. There_ was_ something familiar about her, but John just couldn't place it.

A knock at his door startled him. He looked up and found Jeremy walking in, a bright smile on the younger man's face. "Hey, John Kennex, good morning! Oh, I mean, afternoon," he joked.

John smiled sheepishly. "Yeah, sorry I'm late." He wheeled himself out into the hall, alongside Jeremy.

"Had trouble sleeping last night?"

John nodded absent-mindedly. "Yeah, I...guess so."

"Bad dreams?" Jeremy pressed. John was to report things like that to him, which didn't happen often. John was a little rebellious like that. "You can tell me, man."

John blinked in response to the last word. A voice echoed in his head, one familiar and soothing. "Man..." He repeated.

Jeremy observed him, with hands in his pockets. "You okay, John? What is it?"

Eventually, John shook his head, and continued on wheel. "Nah, it's nothing."

"...Okay. I might not be your _actual_ therapist, but just know that I'm here for you." He patted John's shoulder, and received a smile in response.

During the session, John focused wholly on keeping his legs going, and not trivial things that didn't make sense to him. The doctors said that, because of his progress, he was at the point of beginning to remember more. He didn't doubt that they didn't _mean_ something, but there were more other things to worry about. He knew he was a cop, and that was important to him. He'd been someone before this whole thing, and he had to fix that.

"Good, John," Jeremy said, once they'd finished. He helped John back into his wheelchair, and handed him a bottle of water. "You're doing really well. I know it must be difficult with your synthetic, but - "

John held up a hand. He didn't really like talking about it, since there was nothing he could do about it. "I'm okay. In fact, I'd like to start using crutches, soon. I really hate this stupid thing," he patted the arm of the wheelchair. "Can you hook me up?"

Jeremy fought a laugh. "Kennex, you make my day. I'll try, man, I'll try."

John regarded him curiously at the phrase again, but he didn't say anything. Why did it sound so familiar?

John's therapist must have noticed too. She was nice, but sometimes she pushed her boundaries. John always had a hard time remembering her name, and asked for it when he entered her office. She smiled and said, "It's Laura."

"Oh, right. So, what are we doing today, doc?"

Laura smiled. "We're just going to talk, like always. How are you feeling?"

The answer was always the same - glad to be alive, frustrated with the amnesia, and really wanting to get back to his old life. Every response from Laura was usually just as repetitive - "You're very lucky", "Yes, it can be", and "Eventually, John". Laura took a few notes on her tablet, then put it away. John always knew the gears had shifted when she did that, and he braced himself.

"John, I have a request." She waited, and John only nodded. "I want you to talk about Dorian."

The name was like a sore muscle. At first, it had hurt to hear it, uncomfortable to his ears and triggering something...awful. Now, it was just getting worked out, slowly and steadily; soon, it wouldn't even phase him. "Why?" He mumbled.

Laura looked perplexed. "We still receive messages from him, from time to time. As we understand from your record, he was your partner, and you two were relatively...compatible. Sandra Maldonado - do you remember her? - says that Dorian is worried about your change of attitude towards him. He understands that something must have happened in the crash," she added at John's expression, "but I'm just curious. Don't you remember anything about him?"

John sighed, settling against the sofa chair. "I...I feel something..._wrong_ inside when I think of him. I don't...trust him. Still," he closed his eyes, his head starting to ache, "I also feel_ that_ is wrong."

Laura peered at him. "So, you're thinking that doubting him is wrong, even though you feel exactly that, when you think about him?"

John nodded sadly. "It doesn't make sense, I know."

Laura picked up the tablet, tapping at it studiously. "Well, let me know if that changes. I'll continue to keep it off-record, at your request. I'm sorry it's difficult for you."

John was sorry, too. He was glad to talk about other things after that, like his relationship with Grace, that he was still writing to keep his mind sharp, and that his physical therapy was going well. He felt good about Jeremy working with him, and as always, requested that he not leave when the rotation was over. "He's the best coach I could ask for," John insisted.

Laura chuckled, taking more notes. "He's the only coach you've had. However, I'll let him know you gushed on him, and that he needs to request an extension." She signed the tablet, making it final before storing it in her bag. "Okay, John, you're a free man!"

John thanked her, and wheeled out to meet Jeremy out in the hall. "Hey," Jeremy said immediately, "you have a visitor."

"...Who?" John asked cautiously, feeding off of Jeremy's guarded expression.

"A...coworker of yours, I guess. His name is Richard Paul - he just wanted to check in on you. I told him to come back or wait until after you ate something, and he said he'd just wait. You want to take it?"

John thought about it. He didn't feel like eating, so he shrugged. "I'll see him now."

Jeremy looked skeptical. "If you don't have lunch now, you're sitting hungry for the next five hours. Why don't I get you something and bring it to you? You two can talk outside - it's a really nice day."

Once out in the fresh air, John couldn't argue with that. It was late April, so the sky was a perfect blue, and the grass was at its greenest. Jeremy met up with a grouchy looking man, who showed his badge upon request. Satisfied, Jeremy patted John's shoulder and said, "I'll find you in a bit."

There was an awkward, familiarly tense silence that occurred, only broken by John clearing his throat. "So," he drawled out, "how can I help you, uh...Richard, was it?"

Richard was mildly impressed. "Yours truly," he said with a sigh. "Listen, is there somewhere more quiet we can talk?"

John smirked up at him, and before he could stop himself, he was saying, "You're not really my type, sorry, pal." The strangest part was that he wasn't even embarrassed; teasing the guy was as natural as breathing.

The Detective only snorted. "Yeah, same old John Kennex. I'm serious, though, I'd like to talk to you, and I don't need every pair of ears listening in. I'm really sticking my neck out for you, so you'd better pay good attention."

John frowned as they moved down the path. "What's this about?"

Richard sighed. "It's about that partner of yours, Dorian. It's not good news, either."


	5. Chapter Five

**Author Note:** So sorry for the delay! *Yawn* It's super late/extremely early, but I had to post it to make it up to y'all.

* * *

Chapter Five

* * *

Under the shade of one of the larger trees, John sat in his wheelchair, with the man named Richard sitting on the bench next to him. The Detective glanced at him, then cleared his throat.

"So, look, I know you've been trying to get back on your feet, but I know you can handle what I'm going to tell you."

"About...Dorian?" John asked tentatively. Even saying it brought an uneasy twinge. "Has he done something bad?"

Richard gave him a strange look, then shook his head quickly. "No, Kennex, he hasn't. Look, I don't know what's got you so jumbled in the head about your partner - and he_ is_ your partner - but he's not the bad guy. You understand what a DRN is? Like the MX bots that work with the police?"

John thought for a moment. "Yeah, I think so." Something in his foggy memories was helping him.

"Good. Well, Dorian is a DRN, a lucky one fortunate enough to be on the force, thanks to you. Since you've been rehabilitating, he's been pretty much without a partner, which is necessary for him to keep his job."

John could only shrug, without much sympathy. "What do you want me to do? I'm just trying to remember my own name, for crying out loud. Why does he matter? I don't...feel right about him, whoever he is."

Richard was quiet a few moments. He looked annoyed, which annoyed John. This stranger just decided to come to his ward, bug him with questions he couldn't really answer, and the day was wasting away. "Look," Richard held up a hand, "I know this is hard, but you need to trust me. If you don't at least let Dorian _visit_ you, they're going to shut him down. Now, I know that you're still in there somewhere." He pointed to John's head, a serious expression on his face. "You're just having a hard time remembering him, and the accident screwed that up. Eventually, you're going to remember, because you're just too stubborn to forget." Richard looked away, a touch of bitterness in his eyes.

John sighed. "What are you trying to say?" His head was starting to hurt.

Richard scowled. "I'm saying that he's your friend, Kennex. Dorian is more than your partner, and even though you don't know it, all of us at the station do. I'd be really disrespecting him_ and_ our boss if I didn't try to help you realize that." He stood, placed his hands in his pocket, and faced John. "Just...think about it. Dorian would do the same thing for you."

Those final words stirred something inside of John. Richard left him on his own, but before long, Jeremy had walked up to him. "Hey, he didn't bother you too much, did he?"

John shook his head distractedly. "...No, it's okay. So, uh," he looked at Jeremy, ready for a change in topic, "is it too late for lunch?"

Jeremy looked guilty. "Sorry about having to wait. They wouldn't let me bring it out, but I made them keep a tray for you."

Inside, John munched at his food, deep in thought. Though initial response to the DRN was always negative, John had always felt something attracting him to Dorian. He'd wake up some mornings and wish for his company, then throw the notion aside immediately. He even remembered now, when he'd first woken up, how concerned he'd felt. He'd never explained it to anyone, not even his therapist, how he'd spent those first few moments looking forward to seeing Dorian again.

"Is he having troubles eating again?" A soft voice asked. John looked up to find Grace smiling at him, and his heart skipped a beat. Grace took a seat next to Jeremy and gave him a tight hug. "Good to see you again, Jer."

"You too, honey. Work been well?"

Grace laughed, a beautiful sound that lightened John's mood quickly. She was looking back at him now, and it was all he could do to not stare like an idiot. "Work's been a nightmare. It's okay, though, because I have my two guys here to visit."

Jeremy held up surrendering hands, laughing. "Oh, no, keep me out of this. John is the one who looks forward to the days you visit."

John tried not to blush. He only smiled and rested his cheek into his palm. "What can I say? You're a beautiful lady, Grace."

A tender look crossed her eyes. It was like it was all she'd been waiting to hear, and she reached out for his hand. He took it and squeezed it lightly, and a strange moment passed between them. John felt something familiar about it, but before he could really register it, Grace had pulled away. She was rummaging through her purse, and a moment later pulled out a colorful item. It was one of those painted nesting dolls, a vibrant red theme with a sweet face.

"Do you like it, John?" Grace asked.

"I...is this for me?" John asked, cradling the item carefully. He blinked a couple of times, watching a single image go by in his mind. He and Grace were close enough to kiss - no, they_ were_ kissing. Was it a memory, or just...? He shook his head. _Don't get your hopes up, pal,_ he thought wryly.

"It certainly is, if you like it," Grace replied. "I just thought you...deserve it, after all you've worked for."

"...Well, thank you, Grace," John finally said. "It means a lot."

She smiled, turning her head a little. "You're very welcome. It'll keep you company while I'm not here; sadly, I do have to get going. I just wanted to stop by and see how you were."

Jeremy smiled and watched her as she stood. "Well, don't be a stranger. John doesn't have many visitors these days," he shared a knowing look with John, but didn't press the matter. The two men watched, a little star-struck, as Grace strut her way from the room. Jeremy shook his head. "Man, when you're done with therapy, marry her. Just don't even let her get away from you."

John sighed and chuckled. "Yeah..." After a moment, he shook his head. What was wrong with him, getting all googly-eyed? He was supposed to be a cop - aloof to everything. Still, that woman could turn his head. "Um, speaking of visitors, I...have a favor to ask."

"Oh?" Jeremy asked, pulling John's tray away from him. "What's that?"

"I...that Detective, Richard, told me some things. He said that Dorian was my partner, and that I should talk to him. If I don't, he'll be deactivated - for some reason, hearing that upset me. It's weird, I know, but I...want to see him."

The younger man sniffed indifferently. "I'll make the call, if you want. If you trust him, then I trust him, but you have to get your boss's and the hospital's approval first. We're just trying to look out for you, John."

He nodded. "I understand, and I appreciate that. I just have to try, because if I don't face it now, I won't ever."

A few hours passed by. Because of his late lunch, John wasn't up for dinner, and was already tired. He was in the rec room, finishing a puzzle on his tablet. He liked the activity because it kept his mind sharp, and he didn't have to talk with anyone else. Whatever he'd been like before, his anti-social tendencies hadn't been corrected in the accident. He paused his game, sitting back and looking up toward the ceiling. If only he could remember...

"John Kennex," a nurse was calling. She smiled when he looked at her. "You have a phone call. Do you want to take it at this time?"

Mildly surprised, John nodded. "I didn't think they'd get back to me this fast," he said to himself. Out in the hall, the nurse stood by him as he placed the phone to his ear. "Kennex."

"John, it's Captain Maldonado. Do you recognize my voice?"

"Er, yes, I do." John took the beat of silence to wonder why he'd answered the phone that way. Usually he tried for a "Hello" first, but the woman on the other end hadn't seemed to mind. "What can I do for you, Captain."

There was a smile in her voice. "You're starting to sound like yourself again; that's good, really good. Listen, I talked to your instructor, and he explained that Detective Paul was there today to see you?"

"Yes, he was. He...talked about my partner."

There was a small, hesitant pause. "Yes, John. I would have come to see you myself, but Richard was available and willing. I won't repeat any details, but I assume you understand the situation Dorian is in?"

John ran a thoughtful thumb over his brow. "I suppose. He's a DRN - whatever that means - and he'll be deactivated. Why couldn't he just have another partner?"

"W-Well," the Captain stumbled, "it's...not that simple. I never reassigned him, in the hopes that you would remember him somehow. I know that you're going through a difficult time with this, so I don't want to stress you out. However, I want you to know that you can trust Dorian. If there's anything I can do to help you cope somehow, I'm more than willing. I just...don't want to make any decision that will be hard on you later."

John was quiet for a long while. The entire situation was just so complicated, and he had nothing to work with, to understand where these people were coming from. It wasn't their fault - he just couldn't remember anything. Still, the reassurance only extended so far, and he said, "I appreciate that. However, I'd like some time to think about this. I have to know I can trust him, not just because others say I can. How much time do I have?"

"Not long," Maldonado replied immediately. "I've been pulling the strings long enough, and it's starting to get a little intense. The DRN series had enough problems maintaining activation before, and having Dorian for as long as we've had him is a miracle. If you don't feel comfortable enough to see him before the week is out..." She left the consequence unfinished, leaving John to imagine what he may. "I know you'll figure it out, John. You're strong like that."

John nodded out of habit, and mumbled a 'goodbye' before ending the call. He thanked the nurse for standing by, and headed back into the rec room until the end of the night. Jeremy walked him back to his room, and when he lay in bed alone, he stared at the blank ceiling. In the silence, he prayed for something to come up, some sort of recognition that would save his supposed partner's life.


	6. Chapter Six

**Author Note: **Thanks for reading! I tried to make this chapter a bit more progressive (it takes me forever to get anywhere in a plot...), so I hope you like it! Please, let me know what you think of it so far :)

* * *

Chapter Six

* * *

Dorian sat in the lobby of the hospital with Maldonado at his side. He could hardly believe his luck, just a day after Sandra had talked to the staff here. John, as confused as he probably felt, was willing to see Dorian. Relief washed through him as he thought over it again.

Now they were waiting for John's session to be over, which would end within the next ten minutes. Maldonado checked the time again, then stood and stretched. "I'm going to get a refill," she explained, holding her water cup. "If anyone gives you trouble over being solo, just tell them I'll be right back."

Dorian smiled and nodded, and went back to what he'd been thinking on before - what he would say to John. It had been so long, and just the idea of talking to him seemed unnatural. At least John remembered his name, but...things just weren't the same anymore. _ Hi, John, you're looking well. I'm sorry I make you uncomfortable? I wish you could remember everything we've ever done as partners. _The DRN frowned deeply, and was only brought out of it by the sound of his name.

"Dorian, what are you doing here today?"

It was Grace, with an ever-pleasant smile on her face. From the tone of her voice, she seemed surprised, and she sat down next to him. Dorian returned the expression and said, "I'm visiting John. Are you here to do the same?"

"I am, yes," she replied. "Who's keeping an eye on you?" She joked. "Aren't you supposed to have a partner with you? Did you sneak out?" She teased him in a low voice, and though in good nature, she created a few cautious glances in his direction.

"No, I - my supervisor is coming right back. I can assure you, I'm a very well-behaved DRN." He smiled at her, and she giggled lightly. "How have you been?"

"Oh, just fine. I get to see John once a week, talk to him...it's so great. I told him, once he's out, he and I could go for some lunch sometime. He seemed all for it!"

_Sounds just like him, _Dorian mused sarcastically, but he only nodded in support. He opened his mouth to respond, but Grace's attention was fixed on something over his shoulder. Dorian turned and saw Maldonado heading their way, looking perplexed. "There she is."

"Oh, Dorian, you know, I have to, uh, get going, okay?" Grace stuttered. She stood quickly, gathering her purse, and mumbled a farewell before hurrying down the opposite end of the hall. She left the DRN confused, but he didn't have much time to process it before Maldonado had retaken her seat.

"Dorian, who was that talking to you?"

"Her name is Grace. She's an...old friend of John's, a school teacher. She's been able to visit him since he's woken up."

Maldonado observed the hall a moment longer, seeming to bite her tongue. "Okay. Well, I'm glad he's had someone on the outside looking over him."

"Sandra Maldonado," a nurse suddenly called. "You're free to follow me in."

The two of them stood, and headed through the double doors down a quiet hall. Turning the corner, they were guided to a door labeled 'Therapy 2'. Inside, John was sitting in his wheelchair, across from another man. There was a bottle of water in his hand, and he seemed flushed. He regarded them carefully as his instructor stood to greet them.

"Afternoon, ma'am, sir," he addressed respectively. "It's a pleasure to meet you both, I'm Jeremy; I look over our dear John Kennex."

John smiled absently, wheeling himself over. He looked up directly at Dorian, staring at him for longer than a moment. His lips parted to speak several times, his Adam's apple bobbing uncertainly. "I...remember you, from when I...woke up," he finally admitted. "You're Dorian."

A tender smile crossed Dorian's lips. "Hi...John." He tried to say more, but he couldn't.

"So," John finally said, looking uneasy, "why don't we...talk? The rec room is a good place, I guess."

The four of them couldn't have reached their destination quickly enough. John kept to himself, Dorian was determined to have something to talk about by the time he had to talk again, and Maldonado kept glancing over her shoulder. Jeremy wasn't exactly sure what to do, but he was able to breathe easy upon entry of the rec room. He rubbed his hands together, looked at John, and said, "Well, John, I think I'll leave you to it. I'll be back in a while, so get along."

John raised an eyebrow, and shook his head. He looked at Dorian, standing straight and still, and a small sigh escaped him. "Come on, dude, relax a little. Have a seat. " He motioned to one of the couches, which Dorian took with an apologetic look.

Maldonado cleared her throat, folding her arms. "Er, John, if it's okay, I might step out. I was actually wondering if I could walk with you, Jeremy, was it?" She looked at the younger man, who nodded and passed a polite arm across his chest. "After you, dear."

The room was quiet enough, with only another nurse tending to her duties from afar. John looked down at his lap for a bit, until Dorian cleared his throat. The DRN was smiling expectantly, and said, "John, how are you?"

"I'm...okay. Yeah, I'm doing better, I guess."

"Good, good," Dorian commented. Finally he sighed, and looked directly at his friend. As hard as these months had been, with the distance and rejection, he could still consider John Kennex his _friend._ "John, what can I do for you? I really, truly want to help you, in any way I can."

John looked at him, and the hard expression he usually carried softened. "I just...want to understand something. From what I've heard from everyone around me, you and I are partners. For some reason, though, I...I woke up, and I felt like I shouldn't trust you. When I woke up, though, I...I called_ your_ name. I remembered_ you._ It's frustrating, because I don't even remember anything else from before the accident." John's gaze lowered again, and he shook his head. "I'm supposed to be this cop, like my Dad was, and...I can't recall anything. I'm having a hard enough time keeping everyone else's names straight - even my own - and it's really irritating."

"John," Dorian replied, and reached out to touch his arm. He hesitated to see how John would react, but there was nothing. His fingers settled, and he continued. "I know this is hard for you. It's been hard for me, too, but I'm willing to do whatever you feel is comfortable. I don't understand why this happened, but I've been trying to figure it out." He looked around, still finding them practically alone, but lowered his voice. "I don't think what happened was an accident."

John frowned. "What do you mean?"

Dorian only shook his head. "I mean it. I don't want to overwhelm you, but I know that you're still the same John Kennex I've always known. You _are_ a cop, and a great one at that. I haven't been your partner for that long, but I've learned a lot from you - that you do your job, whatever it is, no matter what it takes. I've tried to do that, and it's been...difficult without you. You can trust me, John, and I hope that you won't let your frustrations stand in your way. We can get through this with each other's help."

John remained quiet. He looked at Dorian for a long while, and something stirred inside of him. He felt something hit his mind, and hard. It was of Dorian, standing outside before him; an expression of gratefulness and guilt was apparent on his face. _"I just want to be a cop, man. I just want to be here. Then you woke me up - it was you. You were that person for me, John."_

"John?"

He blinked a couple of times, feeling overwhelmed. "Uh...I'm sorry I just..."

"Are you all right?"

"I'm okay, Dorian." He gave a shaky, reassuring smile. "Don't worry about me, I think I understand what you were talking about. Feel free to come by any time, okay? Maybe it'll help...jog my memory."

Only somewhat convinced of his well-being, Dorian smiled at him. "Okay, man. If that's what you want, I can do that."

"Oh, and if anyone gives you crap about being 'decommissioned', or whatever it is, you're still my partner. Don't let anyone mess with you, got it?"

* * *

Jeremy walked the halls with Captain Maldonado, making light talk with her. "John has been doing incredibly well since you last visited."

"Yes, I'm sorry I haven't been able to see him more. Honestly, work keeps me pretty busy."

"Don't worry about that too much," Jeremy smiled. "He's had more than enough company from Grace."

Sandra slowed further in her pace, thinking about Dorian's earlier words. "Is she...an old friend of his? A school teacher?"

The surprise was evident. "Yeah. Have you met her?"

Finally, the two of them stopped walking. Sandra faced Jeremy, a serious expression on her face. "A woman was talking with Dorian today, before we came in to see John. If she's the woman who's been visiting him, I would recommend extreme caution."

"...Why is that?"

"Of course, I haven't connected anything, but it could be a set up. You see, I had a Detective working with me about two-and-a-half years ago, named Anna Moore. She and John had a history together, so to speak, and it didn't end well. John ended up without his leg, and spent two years in a coma."

Jeremy looked at her incredulously. "He...he was in a coma before this?"

Sandra nodded. "Yes. I'm one-hundred percent sure in who I saw, and if she's calling herself by another name, she has something planned. She went missing after John went into the hospital the first time, and hasn't been heard of since."

Jeremy ran a hand through his hair, looking troubled. "Well, I trust you, but..." He shook his head. "Grace is so kind. She's only ever been good to John, I just can't believe this.:

"I don't want to cause a commotion about this, especially since this could be a fluke. I'll be by more often, to keep an eye on things, and I don't want John knowing about this. He's had a hard enough time as it is since this all started."

"Right. Well, let me know if there's anything I can do. I want to keep John safe, and if someone is trying to ruin that, we can't let it happen."

Sandra nodded, hoping that it wouldn't come to that.


	7. Chapter Seven

**Author Note: **Sorry for taking so long! I don't know if anyone's ever watched Breaking Bad, but I just finished the series (so I blame the delay for the bulk episodes I couldn't stop watching :D)

* * *

Chapter Seven

* * *

John took a deep breath of fresh air. Today he was out - officially out - and the cab was waiting to take him home. Grace was at his side, her arm tucked under his; she smiled and kissed his cheek.

"Ready?"

He nodded. He turned to Jeremy and gave him a thankful smile. "I'll call you when I get in. Thanks for everything."

Jeremy patted his shoulder. "You take care of yourself. I look forward to seeing you again, but not here," he chuckled.

John gave a wry grin and shook his head. He glanced at the steps before taking one down. He'd purposely left his cane behind, refusing to look like an old man, but getting help from Grace wasn't argued. The two of them walked steadily until they reached the curb, and John tossed his bag into the back before hopping in. Grace scooted in beside him and gave John's address to the driver.

The man started the car and nodded, and made his way onto the road. He was quiet for a bit, then glanced at John from the rearview mirror. He smiled and said, "I think I know you."

Grace looked up, then at John, who had his eyes focused on the world passing before them. "John," she nudged.

"Hm? Oh, sorry, what?"

The man turned briefly to make eye contact. "I've seen you before. You're a cop, aren't you? You helped my grandkid out one time - I regret not getting the chance to ever thank you."

Of course, John didn't remember, but he only nodded solemnly. "You're...welcome. You wouldn't happen to have a picture of him, would you?"

The man passed a photo back, of himself and a little boy. Bright, blue, wondering eyes looked back, a contagious smile from ear-to-ear pulling John's lips into an upturn. He traced a finger over the boy's dark, wavy hair and whispered, "I _do_ remember him. He was sitting in the station with me. What was his name?"

"Victor."

John chuckled. "That's right." The faint memory passed by, of him sitting across from the boy. He could see Dorian there, smiling at him, and he frowned. He hadn't seen the DRN lately, or anyone from work. He could admit to himself, he missed them.

The car finally pulled up to the apartment complex. John thanked the man and clambered out, looking up the height of the place. He drew a low whistle from his lips. "I forgot how big this place is."

Grace smiled briefly before walking ahead. She unlocked the door and waved him in, then walked with him over to the elevator. "So, now that you're home, what do you want to do?"

John smiled. "Lunch sounds good. Do you like asian? If I have to stuff down one more loaf of corn bread, I'll die." He shook his head, making her laugh. He smiled and kissed her jawline, his lips lingering there a moment.

Grace blushed and glanced away. "John..."

He blinked. "Oh, I'm...sorry. I just -" he shook his head, pulling away. The action had seemed so natural, familiar. Now he realized he must've been mistaken - she was just his friend, after all. As the elevator took them up, John stared at the floor in confusion.

Grace reached over and took his hand into hers, and gave a shy smile. "It's okay, you know."

"You're sure?"

She shrugged teasingly. "I think I can forgive you, just this once."

John blushed this time. As the doors opened, the two of them made their way to John's door, which Grace gave him the honors of unlocking. She stayed back and observed him as he trailed in slowly. Her attention was distracted by her ringing cell, which she realized she couldn't answer - not with John around. She hit the 'ignore' and stood in the doorway.

John looked around at everything, ran his fingers over everything. This was his home, and he knew that. It smelled familiar, and felt secure. He looked at Grace, giving her a small smile. "Well, I'd give you a tour, but..." He shrugged, laughing.

Grace shook her head. She knew the place, anyways. "Come on, let's go eat." _Just like old times._

* * *

Richard sighed, sitting back in resignation in his seat. He and Dorian were parked at the corner of John's apartment complex, and things were not looking good. Dorian glanced at him questioningly. "Is everything all right, Detective Paul?"

"Not even close. That woman is up to something, and we need to figure out a way to stop her."

Dorian zoomed back in on the couple making their way slowly down the street. He smiled, seeing John happy, but the woman next to him brought cause for concern. Maldonado had confirmed nearly a month ago that the girl was John's old girlfriend. Dorian distinctly remembered his first day on the job, sitting with John at an open bar, and watching the sadness pass over the human's face. That woman had caused him pain, had betrayed him, and now she was reeling him in.

"Hey, Dorian."

He snapped from his thoughts, looking at Richard. "Yes, I apologize. What did you say?"

Richard shook his head. "Just making sure you're all here. So, since you're his partner, what do you think we should do? Obviously Kennex is on cloud nine, and I'm sure trying to pull them apart is going to cause drama..."

Dorian nodded. "I don't believe she wants to hurt him. I don't know much about her, besides what her files have told me. If it's a matter of repairing the relationship, that's one thing...however, she hasn't made herself known to anyone at the precinct, like she doesn't want to be seen. Perhaps, simply approaching them on a casual basis might be better. I would like to see how John is doing," he added, looking at Richard.

The Detective sighed. "Probably the best course. Who knows when, or if, Kennex will come back, and asking him about it when he's on his own will raise suspicion."

"I'll keep an eye on his location, and when they stop, we can find a better spot, and approach them." Dorian connected Richard's GPS with his own, and a little moving blip on the screen appeared, labeled, "John". After a few minutes, it finally settled at a small restaurant, so Paul kicked the car into gear and headed out. He parked near the plaza, and promptly stepped onto the sidewalk.

Dorian did the same. If he would have had a heart, it would be pounding. Maldonado had asked him to keep his distance, for his personal safety and John's. He didn't like this arrangement, not talking to John like they used to. Even recently, when he would visit, it was beginning to feel like old times. Now he had all the visitation rights of a divorcee, and that wasn't right. _He'd_ been the one there for John, not this mystery woman.

As the two of them walked, each felt a tap on their shoulder. They paused, and Richard's hand drifted towards his firearm as he slowly turned. Dorian kept his hands neutral, but turned to face a dark-haired man. "Officers," he stated, and Dorian noticed a small, round item being rolled through his fingers. "Might I suggest that you turn around?"

Richard huffed. "Might I suggest that my partner arrest you? We're on duty."

The man frowned, unafraid. "No, you won't do that. See, if I press this button, the couple you're about to talk to will be shot down. There won't be a second thought, and I'll be gone before you even know it. If you want them to live, you'll turn around right now, and drop your investigation. That woman isn't there to hurt your friend."

Dorian subtly scanned the area. He registered two heat signals, close to John and Grace, and one he could see directly, aimed at them. "Detective Paul," he said, "I believe we should take his advice."

Richard scowled, but he nodded silently. "Don't let me see your face, ever again," he threatened the man, who raised a brow. Richard shoved past him, and Dorian followed, taking one last glance at his friend. John was laughing - actually laughing - looking happier than he'd ever been. As Dorian sat in the cruiser on the way back, his chest ached.

Richard seemed to notice, and glanced at him regretfully. "Don't worry, Dorian. We'll figure out a way to get to him. No one threatens us, and no one is going to take your partner from you."

Dorian smiled softly, touched at Richard's way of comforting him. "Thanks, Detective."


	8. Chapter Eight

**Author Note: **So, over the weekend, our internet died. It was sad. Probably the most sad weekend of my life. However, now I'm back, and everything makes sense in the world again. Thank you for all of your amazingly sweet and loving reviews so far! I've been kind of up and down, stop and go with this story, but I'm glad you've liked it :)

* * *

Chapter Eight

* * *

John woke up one morning particularly grumpy. A strange, foreign - yet familiar - dream was slipping from his mind, and it had left him feeling weighed down. It was like the feeling of waking up from having been crying the night before. He felt hopeless and wasn't sure how he'd dragged himself from bed. He now found himself on the balcony, looking absently at the early morning cars trail by. He would be going into work today, just to re-familiarize himself, and he didn't want to be moody.

Movement from behind told him Grace was walking up to him. He turned slightly to face her, and memories of the dream hit him again. He looked away too quickly, and Grace noticed. "What's wrong, John?" She ran a couple of fingers over and behind his ear, and he reached up to hold her hand.

"It's nothing," he lied. "Just didn't get much sleep."

Grace gave him a coy, yet sympathetic smile. How did she manage to do that. "Well, if you'd slept in your bed, and not the couch, you might be singing a different tune."

John scoffed. "Right, let the lady take the couch. Classy."

Grace wrapped her arms around him and kissed his neck. "Well, come to bed next time. You'll feel better, I promise."

John shifted a little, and hid a blush. He wasn't going to deny, spending a night with this woman would be worth every second. Still, it worried him that the notion seemed so natural, and Grace leaned into it farther and farther each time. She hadn't made a habit out of being at his place, but they were together nearly every day. John had felt so...happy, but now, this dream concerned him.

It was of him, staring into a mist-filled clearing. He'd looked down at his leg, numbly realizing it was gone, before watching a red light blink through the air. He could see Grace in the distance, a hard, regretful expression on her face. When he'd woken, he'd nearly fallen off the couch. His heart had pounded, and his head had ached. That only happened lately when he was remembering something.

"John?" Grace called, shaking his shoulder. "You okay?"

"Oh, y-yeah, sorry. I was just thinking." John frowned, and stepped away from the railing. "Listen, I'm going to get ready for work. I should be back by noon, if you want to catch lunch."

Grace pulled a hesitant face. "Oh, hon, I can't today. I'll be working on getting ready for a parent-teacher conference. Maybe dinner?"

John smiled and nodded. He moved to head back inside, but Grace held his wrist. He looked back at her questioningly, and found that same, sly smile on her lips. "What?" He asked.

"Remember what I told you - don't let anyone know we're seeing each other. I don't want them stressing, thinking you're jumping into things too quickly."

As John got ready for the day ahead, Grace's words lingered with him. The one part that irked him about their relationship, was that it was almost hidden. Not that John would think of really telling others, but Grace seemed insistent. She was worried about something, and didn't want to own up to it. He sighed as he locked up his apartment. Grace had already slipped out, and wouldn't be back until later. He didn't want to doubt her, but there was so much he just didn't know, and couldn't remember. It was getting harder to trust people around him.

John pulled into a spot at the precinct without a problem. He'd driven the route a couple of times with Dorian before fully taking the reigns, and now smiled as he walked through the front doors. He felt at home, and others there recognized and greeted him.

"Hey, Kennex, back again!"

"Stay on your feet this time, okay?"

"Oh, good morning, John!"

John only gave quiet nods. He appreciated the sentiments, but no faces were familiar. With a few exceptions - Valerie, Richard, and the Captain - these were strangers. He found Maldonado's office and knocked lightly on the door. He slipped inside when she waved him in, and took a seat. "Morning, Captain."

She smiled. "How are you feeling today?"

"Uh, pretty good, yeah. What are you having me do today?"

"Well, I've officially put you back on the pay roll and reinstated your badge, access to case files - all that. Dorian has been reassigned to you, and you'll be looking at potential case files for next week." She paused to observe him with a small smile. "You've made a lot of progress, but I still want you to take it easy. Have you been in contact with your therapist since leaving the center?"

John shrugged. "A little. I...can't really focus on remembering things from my time there. I'm more concerned about what I'm doing now, my job."

Sandra nodded after a moment. "All right. I can understand that, and I admire you for your priorities. John, it's really good to have you back."

* * *

Dorian watched Rudy pace the lab. It was a little amusing, but soon the DRN grew tired of it. "Doctor Lom, I can't think of a better solution."

"W-Well, I just...I don't want to overwhelm him, yeah? I mean, the man has spent the better part of, what, three years, in a coma? Why bring up things from the past?"

Dorian frowned a little, his patience running on the thin end. "These aren't 'things', Rudy. These are moments I've shared with him, everything we've done as partners. John has a right to move on, but does he really have to forget?"

Rudy turned, his face long. "I'm sorry, Dorian. I know this has been hard for you. I've hated watching you go through this, and..." He shook his head. "Whatever that woman has been up to, she has us all wrapped around her little finger. Especially - " He stopped, as the door to the lab had opened and shut. A man made his way down, giving the two a small smile. "John. Morning, sir. How are you feeling today?"

John rolled his eyes. "I wish people would stop asking me that. Really, I'm here, so, I'm fine. How have things been here?"

Dorian watched John for a short moment. The conflict in him was overbearing, and he waited until the logic in his system kicked back in. "I'm glad to have you back, John. All of us are, aren't we, Rudy?"

"Oh, yes, of course. Listen, I need to venture up from my humble dwelling here, and get a few supplies. John, enjoy your first day back, I hope it goes well." Rudy gave Dorian a knowing look as he slipped between them, and disappeared up the stairs.

John chuckled as he let his gaze follow. "He's...something else, I gotta say."

Dorian nodded quietly. "He is. He's a good friend."

John peered at him. "Something up, Dorian?"

After a moment, Dorian shook his head. "No, I'm all right, thank you. What are we working on today?"

"Oh, Mal..." He struggled with the name. "Er, Sandra said it was simple work. She wants us to pick out a couple of cases, something easy to start with."

"Well, then, let's go up and check them out." Dorian smiled, and John looked at him with a smile of his own.

"You..." He began, "You've been okay, you know that? I know I haven't been that great to work with, but you've been patient. Thanks, man."

Dorian patted John's shoulder, still smiling. "Thank you, John." After a beat, he continued, "I have a request, if you'd be willing to hear it out."

"Shoot," John replied.

"I...want to show you something. Just a few files, really, but I think they may help you. After my shift is over, would you return here to view them?"

John began to accept, but then he remembered Grace. "I can't. I'm sort of busy with something later. Sorry."

Dorian looked at him curiously, and though his expression remained pleasant, there was a shift. For some reason, John could certainly tell that his partner was upset about the decline. Perhaps not exactly towards John, but something was wrong. John wasn't sure how to recover from it, so he looked away and apologized again. The reaction from the DRN irritated him a bit, even.

"I understand, John," Dorian replied quietly. "The invitation still stands, of course. Perhaps another time?"

John finally nodded. "Yeah. Really, if I could get out of it, I would." He walked with his partner up the stairs, a sliver of guilt rubbing under his skin.

Dorian, meanwhile, could only think of Grace, or Anna - whatever her name was - and how right Rudy had been. John couldn't get out of this, not if he wanted, and not if he dared try.


	9. Chapter Nine

**Author Note:** So, I went to Comic-Con, aaaand I met a certain Doctor/Detective/Judge/Rider of Rohan there, for like three seconds! K.U. is amazing! I nearly died, everyone.

Thankfully, I didn't, so here's another chapter for you! Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter Nine

* * *

Anna wasn't too happy right now. She was sitting in Adam's office, glaring at him. "So, a little bird told me you had the snipers on us the other day. Was that really necessary?"

Adam smiled. "It was. I broke that bird's wing, too, so it looks like I'll have to find another one."

"How are you going to do that, pray tell?" Anna shook her head. After a beautiful lunch with John, she'd had to ditch him from a planned dinner last night; all because of her boss. She hadn't called him back to apologize, either, even though her phone had a couple of texts from him. It never had been like him to probe her too much, but he was most definitely concerned. She felt like things were getting out of hand, and that Adam had something else planned.

He seemed to read her mind. "Just behave, and everything will work out for you. I actually had the gunmen aimed more at a pesky detective and the DRN, so don't worry so much." Adam leaned back in his chair, and with his eyes excused her. She stood indignantly, and slammed the old door with satisfaction. They were hiding out in some old-fashioned house, and the wooden doors and floorboards were rotting. The place smelled horrible, but it was so dilapidated that no one would come looking for them.

In the safety of her car, Anna checked her phone:

_From: John K._

_Hey, are you available?_

She deleted it and moved on.

_From: John K._

_Hope you're well._

Her stomach sank, and she started her car. The last message had been sent hours ago - now it was eleven-thirty. She had a nice apartment and bed to sleep in, but tonight, it wasn't enough. She made her way straight to John's house, and rang the buzzer outside. After a minute had passed, she buzzed again for good measure. If John _was _going to answer, he would still need to attach his synthetic -

"Hullo..." Came his tired, grouchy voice. Anna's heart leaped into her throat and she tried not to smile.

"John, it's Anna. I'm sorry I'm stopping by so late. Could I come in?"

The main door buzzed, and Anna hurried to step inside. She took the elevator up, and hurried to John's already open door. He was leaning against it, looking both sleep-deprived and amused. "Hey," he whispered. He wrapped an arm around her as she reached him, and kissed her neck. "Busy day?"

She sighed and leaned against him. Whenever she doubted exactly why she'd ever done this, it was his scent that reminded her. He always smelled like Bourbon and soap, since the first day they'd met. She didn't answer aloud, but John seemed to understand and pulled her inside. "Do you want anything to drink?"

John had moved over to the kitchen cabinets, and was rummaging for a glass. Anna wrapped her arms around him from behind. "No. I'm just really tired. Let's go to bed, okay?"

He stopped, and turned around in her arms. The room was dark, but John was close enough to see a tired sheen in her eyes. She looked stressed and frustrated, and John couldn't help leaning in to kiss her. He pulled her closer, his fingers trailing through her soft hair. Her arms wrapped themselves around his neck, and she sighed into the kiss.

Without another word, John hoisted her onto the counter, and nuzzled into her chest. His hands slid carefully underneath her shirt, brushing against the strap of her bra. Anna smiled, the familiarity of it all coming back to her. It had been too long since they'd been like this, even before the raid had happened. Their relationship had begun to teeter a little, so it'd been easy to...Anna shook her head. She didn't want to think about that now. John was biting at her neck, and it was one of her favorite turn on's. John, even with his new memories, seemed to have not let some of the old ones go.

* * *

There was an unusually content smile plastered onto John's face the next day, and Dorian took note of it. As much as it amused and pleased Dorian, John Kennex didn't just smile for no reason. He reserved that emotion for when he was up to something, or when he'd experienced something personal. The DRN greeted him politely with a smile.

"Good morning, John. How are you doing today?"

"I'm, uh, I'm good. Yeah, thanks." He patted Dorian's shoulder and sat at his desk, looking over reports. The smile would fade and return occasionally, and Dorian finally sat down beside him.

"You seem happy today," he said, and John's smile became a little guarded.

"Uh, yeah, I guess so."

Dorian nodded patiently. He still had to get used to working with John, and conversing with him. "Have you decided if there's a case you want us to work on?"

John shrugged distractedly. He was scanning his options, but Dorian realized it was more like someone flipping aimlessly through television channels. He didn't seem to actually be invested in his research. Dorian blinked a couple of times, and leaned forward to place a hand on John's shoulder. The Detective finally noticed and looked at him curiously. "Yeah, Dorian?"

"Why don't we take a break? I'd really like to show you those files I talked about. Do you remember?"

John nodded after a moment, but he looked back down at his desk. "I...don't want to."

Dorian pulled away slowly. "What do you mean?"

"You said that it might help me remember, but...I want to make new memories. Whatever happened in the past, needs to stay there."

The DRN frowned lightly, feeling his frustration settle. "Yes, but - "

_"Dorian,"_ John snapped quietly. "Look, we've been getting along, and that's great. Whoever I was before my accident, I'm not that person now. I can feel that, and I'm okay with it. I don't want us to argue, okay?"

The air between them felt tense. Dorian slumped uncharacteristically against the back of his chair, and rested his hands in his lap. "I understand, John. I apologize for trying to push the issue."

John sighed, and looked at him regretfully. "I'm sorry for getting irritated. Once we decide on a case, I think I'll feel more like myself. Did you...want to help me?"

Dorian couldn't help but smile. He patted John shoulder again and stood. "I'd be happy to. I'll be right back to help make a decision, if that's all right."

The Detective nodded, and went back to his work peacefully. Dorian, on the other hand, briskly made his way down to the lab to find Rudy. The technician was busy hovering over his latest project, and started slightly at Dorian's arrival. "Dorian, hello! Didn't see you there - been waiting long?"

To answer, Dorian took Rudy's shoulders, and looked at him desperately. "Rudy, we have to get him back."

Rudy blinked, understandingly confused. "Er, w-who?"

"John. He's not himself, and I want him back." When Rudy still failed to give him what he wanted, he gave the man's shoulders a firm shake. "That woman is taking John away from us."

Finally, a weak laugh escaped Rudy's lips. "Now, hold on. I've rather enjoyed this more...amiable John Kennex. I think that _you _are having problems with it - which is completely fine. Err, it's not fine, I mean - "

Dorian sighed audibly, impressive for someone without lungs. "Doctor Lom, with respect, you really need to work on the rambling. What I'm trying to say, is that whoever this mystery woman is - the one John never talks about - she's distracting him. At this rate, I wonder if he'll stop...caring about all of this."

Rudy was quiet for a moment, then he shook his head. "He would never stop caring about this place; it's too important to him. You're important to him - he just can't remember."

"We need to show him the files," Dorian replied, more of an insistence than an idea. "He needs to remember who he was, so he can keep being who he _is._" John's earlier words to him, about not wanting to fight, echoed in his head. How could he say that? Though John was ill-tempered, it was endearing to his DRN partner. It was all Dorian knew him to be, and was who he should be. "Do you understand?"

After a long moment, Rudy nodded. "Right. I'll see what I can do. Until then, keep your head on straight, Dorian. John's been in very delicate situations lately, and whether he means to do it or not, he's dragging you along."

Dorian sighed again. He understood more than Rudy knew.


	10. Chapter Ten

**Author Note: **Thanks for reading! Enjoy!**  
**

* * *

Chapter Ten

* * *

The rain fell heavily over the city, a spring rain that freshened the smoggy air. It was a Saturday, so anyone caught in the streets hurried through their errands. One couple paid neither them nor the rain any mind, and sat huddled on the edge of the park fountain. They shared kisses here and there, speaking only with soft laughter.

John sighed happily and kissed Grace's cheek again. Then, her ear, and her lips. His hand trailed gently across her leg, and up around her waist. He rested his head against hers, kissing away the rain droplets that managed to plant themselves on her cheek. He wasn't sure of anything more right now, than how in love he was with this woman right now.

"John," she murmured. "We're going to get sick."

John grinned slyly at her. "That just means more time in bed."

She rolled her eyes, and laughed with him. "Not your best, but I'll take it." An uncontrollable shiver left her, and she moved closer to him, if that were possible. John looked at her silently, then finally stood. He pulled her with him, and the two of them walked along the soaked sidewalk, not caring about puddles at this point. They made their way back to the apartment, where Grace slipped out of her clothes, and into a spare pair of John's sweats and shirt.

John remained in his gym shorts, and found a clean tank-top already in the dryer. The coffee brewed quickly, and John poured both of them a mug. He joined her on the couch, letting her feet rest in his lap. "So," he said after a few minutes, "since I have the day off, and _you _have the day off, what do we want to do?"

Grace smiled behind her mug. "I think a nap sounds perfect, actually. Call me boring," she shrugged, but John seemed to agree.

"No, sounds great. We can put on a move, chill here."

Grace paused a beat before responding. "How...is work going?"

"It's, uh, going well. A little slow, but I'm getting there. I've been out running before my shifts, as much as I hate it, and Dorian and I will be working on a case tomorrow."

Grace smiled and set her mug on the table. She wrapped her arms around her knees, and asked, "What's the case?"

John scratched at his temple, trying to remember. "Uh, well, I guess there was someone who worked here a few years ago, named Anna Moore. She...betrayed the precinct, or something, and she's been missing - what?" John looked suddenly up at Grace, who's expression was unreadable. Her full lips were pulled into a tight line, and her gaze lay very steady on him. "Grace, what's wrong?"

She took a few moments to answer. "I...sorry, that name sounded familiar for a second. I thought you said...Anne Morris - someone I knew from school." She laughed, embarrassed. "Sorry, John."

John only shrugged, and continued. He ran a hand over her legs as he spoke. "Dorian thought it would be a good idea to look into it. He said that we didn't have much info, so it might just be a warm-up case."

"A dead end," Grace suggested, and John nodded. He kissed her calf softly, and scooted forward to grab the remote. He looked through his files and found a movie the both of them enjoyed, and settled back into her arms.

"It's okay," he murmured. "Today, I don't have to work, and I get to be with you."

Above him, Grace struggled to hide the contempt scattering across her face. She only sighed, and tried to focus on the screen, rather than the sudden desire to hunt down the DRN and end him. She made a mental note to call Adam later, but she had a feeling he already knew.

* * *

Maldonado had a busy day ahead of her, but certain priorities seemed to be jumping right into her lap. At the moment, she sat with Rudy and Dorian, as she had been for the past week each day. None of them were certain how well their plan would turn out, but for John's sake, they had to try. Dorian had explain John's adamant refusal to review anything of his past, and Sandra knew that was hard for him.

She now looked over the information she'd logged in, which she would be deleting after this conversation. No one could have any record of this; the consequences against John, though not caused by him, were ones no one wanted to claim accountability. "Boys, here's what I've been working with. I gave John the case file concerning Anna Moore, and he's accepted. I didn't show him a picture of her, for obvious reasons, and he doesn't have direct access to any data."

"As he understands it," Dorian spoke, "he's only going to receive this information directly from you?" He received a nod in response, and was satisfied.

Rudy shifted in his seat, wishing to speak. Maldonado looked at him expectantly, and he cleared his throat. "I'm wondering if old habits die hard. Has he been to see a scrubber recently?"

Dorian was the one to answer, with a shake of his head. That was the one thing he liked about this new 'John', was that he didn't seem to be doing anything dangerous. "I've had someone visit the doctor he was seeing, and he insists he hasn't seen John since before his recent accident. The man didn't even know that John had fallen into another coma."

"Just as well," Sandra interjected. "The less Intel we have on John at this point, the better. I just want him to be at a good place, be safe, and move on with his life. He's had far too much going on in his life to find peace, and...it's been difficult. I'm sure the both of you understand that, and I appreciate your help on this."

The two men smiled and nodded. Dorian stood first, having noticed John's arrival at his desk. "Captain, is there anything else we can do for you?"

"No, thank you. I'll keep you updated on everything. I don't believe that Anna will harm John, but whomever that man was that you encountered - he's the real problem."

John was reading a tablet when Dorian joined him. The DRN was greeted with a polite smile, and a motion to sit. "Morning, Dorian."

Dorian's brow raised in amusement. "Usually I greet you first. How are you today?"

John shrugged; He looked a bit tired. "Fine. So, you ready to get some work done at last?"

Dorian smiled. "Of course, John. Where are we headed?"

John read off the address. "It's supposed to be some apartment complex. It was pretty messed up a couple of years back - an explosion or something. Maldonado wants us to talk to the tenants, see if they need anything."

Dorian knew how to play this. "I thought we were going to research more on Anna."

John was silent a moment, a thoughtful frown on his face. Finally he snapped out of it, and nodded. "We are. The Captain wants us to ask if they happened to see her wandering around at any point, since that was the last place she was reported to be."

Dorian ran the address through his files, and found a match he hadn't expected. That was the location of the raid; the one that had cost John his leg, his memory, and had brought him to Dorian. He had to wonder what Maldonado had planned, and hoped it would turn out well.


	11. Chapter Eleven

**Author Note: **Sorry it's been so long! I've been spending too much time lately in the real world, and it scares me...

* * *

Chapter Eleven

* * *

It was a fairly nice day, considering what was about to go down.

John parked the car in front of the apartment complex, scanning his eyes over the old buildings carefully. The place wasn't incredibly well-maintained, and the few people he noticed walking in and out seemed wary of their surroundings. They were quick to notice the two Officers, and either gave stiff nods or kept to themselves entirely. John glanced in annoyance at Dorian, who smiled.

"So," the DRN spoke, "where do we begin?"

John sighed. "Well, this would be much easier if we actually had a picture of this woman. Remind me again why we don't?"

Dorian only shrugged as they walked. "Maldonado said that it was classified. The people here should know about her."

The Detective shook his head. "Still kind of weird to me. Well, let's..." John trailed off as he stepped through the gate. It was quiet around them, giving him the chance to take in his surroundings.

_"John?"_

He knew that voice. He turned back, finding Dorian looking at him questioningly. "Did you...say something?" Dorian was shaking his head, and John copied him in confirmation. "Didn't think so. Must be going crazy..." He began his stride once more, and the pathway turned off to the right. Before them sat the courtyard, where a couple of kids were playing with chalk. John's expression softened a bit at the sight; not many kids just left the safety of their homes to enjoy the sun. And play with something as rare as _chalk - _

_"So, tell me, Kennex, you gonna pop the question to her any time soon, or do I have to do it?"_

"Hey, my relationship with her is none of - " John started, laughing wryly. He turned to the voice again, and found a now concerned DRN frowning at him. John peered at him. "Are you messing with me?"

"John, I haven't said a word since we came in. Are you feeling all right?"

John went over the words he'd just said to thin air. They sounded familiar, as if he'd said them once before, to someone who wasn't there anymore. Someone's face kept popping up in his mind, but he wasn't sure who the man was. John stood there until the strange deja vu had passed. "Sorry, D, I'm good."

To his surprise, Dorian smiled. "You haven't called me that in a long time."

John blinked. "I...that's the first time I've called you that."

Dorian shook his head. "No, it isn't. Perhaps you're remembering more - that's really good, John."

_"John, listen to me. You two are perfect for each other." _The man's voice again.

_"You need each other, John." _Maldonado...what was going on? John felt the tension between his eyes. Memories were mixing in with each other, old and new, and it was making his head spin. John looked around the apartment complex, and suddenly things were spinning.

"John, are you okay?" Dorian was saying. He had his hands held out towards his swaying partner, ready to catch him if needs be. John didn't answer as he held his head, turned on his heel, and whipped back down the walkway to the entrance. Dorian was quick to follow, scanning John's vitals as he walked. His heart rate was elevated, his brainwaves suggesting some sort of distress. Since no other internal ailment was manifesting, Dorian could only assume it was a panic attack.

John stopped by the car, leaning on it heavily as he tried to keep his breathing steady. Thousands of questions sprinted through his mind and onto his lips in a murmur; before long, he was starting to answer them. "That man...who was it? It was Martin, yeah, that's his name. He was my partner, that's right. We were here," he raised his voice a little, and he looked at the buildings that seemed to tower over him now. "Why were we here?"

"John, you need to calm down - " Dorian tried.

"No, let me think, okay?" John snapped, but it was distracted. "I had a partner before you, his name was Martin. We came here, looking for someone. There was a team with us, and we..." He glanced up in the spaces between the structures. There were fire escapes and metal planking connecting the two walls, and ghosts of images - people with guns - were forming. "It was an ambush," he finally said. The words fell like an anvil in the silent air. He looked at Dorian, who was regarding him seriously.

"What happened, John?"

John ran a hand through his hair as he thought. The day it had happened, Martin had been teasing him about his relationship with Anna. They hadn't been dating long, but Martin often said he had a hard time pulling John from whatever cloud he'd landed on. John huffed a laugh as he remembered, and stubborn tears prickled at his eyes. The words they'd shared together had been their last, because Martin had been shot to hell after that. Everything had happened so quickly, and John still couldn't remember all of what had happened. There was _one _thing, though, and it made him still as a statue.

He pulled out his phone and looked at his screensaver. He wondered when he'd gotten so sentimental enough to add one, but there it was. A recent, self-taken picture of him and Grace...only it wasn't Grace. He wasn't even sure it was Anna, but whoever she was, she'd slipped her way back into his life. "Damn. Damn, damn!"

Dorian placed a hand on his shoulder carefully. "John," he murmured, and his partner made a point of not looking directly at him. "We didn't want to tell - "

Whatever it was he was saying then, was cut off in an instant. John heard the quick, whizzing sound of the bullet before it struck Dorian in the head. John all but fell to his stomach, moving to Dorian's side. He received a painful shock as he touched the wound, and the DRN pulled his hand away. His body twitched and his back arched, his face contorted. "Dorian, come on, man." John gasped as another bullet went overhead, and hurried to open the door of the car.

"I wouldn't do that, Detective Kennex," a man's voice called from the front gate. John looked up, and found someone he knew he'd never seen before, recent amnesia or not messing with his head. The man was dressed in darks, and had a calm, confident smirk to go with it. The gun in his hand was still, and John knew that the guy could end him in a second. "Step away from the DRN."

"J-John-n..." Dorian stuttered mechanically. It was an awful sound, like listening to an injured animal. John carefully got to his feet, and raised his hands.

"I take it you're some kind of welcoming party?"

The man only nodded his head over his shoulder, beckoning John forward. With a final look at his partner, John took steady steps forward. The man followed close behind, leaving the gun inches from his prisoner's head. They walked up a flight of stairs, and into the dingiest, smelliest apartment John had ever stepped foot into. There, in the center of the room was Anna, bound to a chair in classic fashion. She looked like she'd taken a couple of hits, with a bruise forming along the side of her face. "John..." She shook her head.

"What the hell is this?" John muttered. The man smiled and locked the door behind him, and motioned for John to sit on the crate. He himself remained standing, the gun still pointed at John.

"I'll just get to the point. Right now, your partner is "dying", so to speak. The bullet that entered his head had a wiring on it that Scrubbers use to erase memories. First, his data files will be cleaned. As soon as he stops flopping around like a fish, he'll be like a blank computer - no input, no output, and completely useless. My men have orders to remove the bullet, destroy it, and then destroy him."

Anna glared up at him silently. John, from all the time he'd spent with her, suddenly didn't know if it was an act or not. The woman before him was both like family and a stranger to him at the same time. "What about her? What's she got to do with this?" He looked at her, and she stared back regretfully.

The man smiled, and held up what was obviously a detonator. He pressed his thumb to it, and kept it there. John felt like his heart had stopped. "Here you have your beloved. Did you know - no, you probably didn't, of course - that she's the mastermind behind this? She caused the accident on the freeway, just so she could be close to you again."

John looked at her, a softness forming over his face. He didn't doubt the story for some reason as he said, "Pretty risky. You could have gotten a lot of people, including my partner and I, killed."

Anna nodded, but she smiled. "I knew it would work out. When you were in the hospital, I...messed with your head, and put in Scrubber treatments. I wanted to come back to you, but without the baggage of what had happened before."

"What if my memories had come back?" John asked carefully. "Or were you just planning to stick me with a needle every night, just enough to keep what I knew suppressed?"

Anna only sighed. "It wasn't like that, and you know it. Somewhere inside of you, you have to know that I wasn't trying to hurt you."

John shook his head. "Don't worry about me. I found a new partner from the one I lost, I have a new life, and for a while, you've been a part of that."

The man cleared his throat, reminding the two that he was still there. "She still can be. She wanted to take you somewhere safe, where you could be happy, and it's possible. You just have to choose between walking out right now and saving your partner, or letting him die so she won't have to."

Anger rose into John's throat. He knew that with one wrong move, it would be all over. The man was willing to risk his own life to get what he wanted, and John knew that if he walked out on Anna, he'd never forgive himself. He thought of the crazy, sometimes drunken nights they'd spent before, and the sweet, close moments they'd shared now. No matter what had happened before, he couldn't deny now that he loved her.

There was Dorian, too.

The good-hearted, nagging, mother hen of an android had somehow made his way into John's guarded heart. He couldn't imagine his life without Dorian, and if he chose Anna, he would lose the one person who'd been trying to heal him. "I...why are you doing this?" He asked the man.

For a moment, he didn't respond. Anna looked up at him, wishing that looks could kill. "I'd to know, too, Adam."

Adam sighed and moved slowly to the door. "Detective Kennex, you're a bad penny, you know? Do you remember your first day back out? Catching those people you thought were involved with InSyndicate?"

John's head was killing him, actually, but he did happen to remember that. "What about it?"

"My brother was the one you and your Captain arrested. The rest of us, as you know, got away, but you took him away from me." Suddenly, Adam's expression was dark. "Putting him in there is worse than death. It's only a matter of time before I get him out, but until then, I decided to make the both of you pay."

John and Anna shared an apprehensive look, but they didn't have much time to process it all. Adam opened the door, and before hurrying out, let go of the detonator and tossed it at their feet.


	12. Chapter Twelve

**Author Note:** We're at the home stretch now...thank you for reading this far!

* * *

Chapter Twelve

* * *

John wasn't exactly sure when he began to breathe again. Somewhere in-between catching the detonator, waiting for an explosion, and not being engulfed in flames, John's lungs had started to work again. He was on his stomach, still as a statue.

"...John - " Anna whispered, seeming to have experienced the same thing. "We're alive."

They fell silent again, and that enabled them to hear the steady beeping coming from Anna's chair. At the angle John was in, he finally saw the bomb strapped to the underside, and it was going to go off in less than a minute. "Dammit!" He yelled, springing to his feet. He didn't have a knife on him, and the rope around her was bound tightly.

"John..." Anna mumbled.

He took her face into his hands, and kissed her. "It's okay. I'm getting you out of here." There was nothing to work with. Adam had left him with nothing, and he was going to watch this woman die before him. God, his head was killing him, if only he could think straight. "Anna..."

"Sweetheart," she whispered, smiling at him. She shook her head, and settled back into the chair. "Go on."

"No!" He yelled. Wasn't there a piece of scrap _anything _he could use?! A pen, the wiring to his synthetic, anything! "I won't let you die."

"John. You've made me alive these past few months, more than I've ever been. I can die happy, knowing that. Go to your partner, and keep living."

He felt his breath leave him again. "But I - "

"Just go!" She yelled. "Please, John, just go! I...I love you, so much."

He couldn't believe this was happening. The timer read 0:10, and it was all over. He kissed her one last time, and bolted out the door without looking back. He'd reached the end of the row of apartment doors when the explosion went off, nearly sending him over the railing. He stumbled down the stairs and kept his eyes forward, yelling to the panicked tenants to "get the hell out of here!" Soon enough, he was caught up in the throng of people trying to make their way out the front gate. They gathered right outside the apartments, some on the other side of the street, and John knew help was on the way.

He pushed his way past the shaken bodies, fining his car still parked where it had been when they'd arrived. Dorian was, miraculously, still there, but he lay as still as a statue. John wasn't really conscious of his actions from that point on. He remembered lifting the heavy DRN into the back of the cruiser, getting in once the squad had arrived, and driving numbly to the precinct. Maldonado was waiting for him in the lobby, and took his shoulders worriedly.

"My God, John, what happened to you? Talk to me, John! Someone bring the paramedics over here!" She looked back at him, convinced he was going to pass out any second.

John's eyes danced wildly in their sockets. He pointed to his car outside by the curb, shaking his head. "Dorian - there was a bomb - no memory, no - no data - "

Maldonado turned her attention to the on-site medics. "Here, sit him down, and give him some oxygen. He's having a panic attack."

"Sir?" One of them asked. John was placed onto a chair, and kept sitting straight by the other man. "Can you answer me? Do you know where you are?"

"Apartments..." John mumbled. Tears were forming in his eyes, and his breath hitched. "Anna..."

A mask was placed over his mouth, and the medic regulated the oxygen until the Detective's vitals were back to normal. Maldonado noticed Valerie close by, talking to someone on her cell. The Captain moved over to her, and asked quietly, "Is that Paul?"

Valerie nodded and covered the speaker. "He said it's a mess down there. There are five casualties both from the explosion and the escape, and one man died before they could get him into the ambulance."

Maldonado shook her head. "Okay, keep me updated." She walked back up to John, who was resting his head against the wall. He was trembling, but he wasn't so panicked now. He looked up at her with a broken expression, and he shook his head. She took his shoulder and squeezed it comfortingly. "John? Can I do anything for you?"

"I just...I don't understand what happened. I'm so tired of all of this, and now...Dorian..." He trailed off, and closed his eyes. "He's gone."

"I had him sent down to the lab. Why don't you go home and get some rest, and come back tomorrow?"

He shook his head defiantly. "I don't want to go home. I want to stay with Dorian, to see what the hell happened to him. Please, Sandra?"

She hesitated, but finally consented. She helped him to his feet, and walked with him to the lab stairs. "Just let me know if there's anything I can do for you, John. I'm sorry for your loss."

John was, too. He nodded and headed down the steps, into the quiet, cool, calming lab. John had never realized how safe he felt here, but it washed over him immediately. "Rudy?" He called. His voice cracked tiredly.

"Yeah, John, over here," Rudy called. He was standing over a table, examining the DRN that lay upon it. He paused as John approached him, a look of sympathy on his face. He tried to say something a couple of times, but nothing came out. Finally he extended his hand to John.

A tiny smile crossed John's lips, and he took it. "Thanks, man. I'll be okay, I guess. Can you fix him?"

Rudy sighed, which wasn't a great sign. "I'm going to try my hardest, John. I won't sugar-coat this, because that isn't really fair to you _or _Dorian."

"What's wrong with him? Is...everything gone?" His hand trailed over Dorian's hair lightly. His chest ached and tightened at the thought, that Dorian was lifeless. The one out of them all who'd shown any decent humanity, was done for.

Rudy nodded sadly. "By the time he came to me, there was nothing left. When I tried to replant his memories, there was an systematic error in his neural input."

"English, Rudy."

"It won't accept the data. He doesn't have any juice left in him to put in what he had before, not without overloading him."

John finally looked up at him, eyes widened hopelessly. "So, there's really no shot at this?"

"Well, there is one thing..."

John took Rudy's shoulders roughly, shaking them once. "Dammit, Rudy! Do whatever it takes to bring him back. You need him, I need him - it works out!"

"All right, all right! If you'd let go, I'd be happy to help you."

John let go abruptly, nodding. "Right, sorry."

"...Right. Well, if I implant a basic chip into him, the synthetic programming will do the rest. He'll understand his functions from before, and his assignment as a cop will still be enforced, but," he patted Dorian's forehead, "this part is new. He'll have to make new memories."

John took in the words. Dorian would be starting over from scratch. "Do it."

* * *

_Three days later..._

Rudy took a moment to admire his handiwork. Of course it was all internal, viewed only by the screen above Dorian's head. The DRN would be back on his feet soon enough. Rudy handed John the activation rod, and prompted him silently with a nod. Before John could do it, Rudy decided to add, "Now, remember John, we have to be patient. He won't...exactly be himself."

"I know," John replied. He smirked over at the technician and added, "You've told me a hundred times." He took a breath, then placed the metal next to Dorian's ear. The reaction wasn't as harsh as the first time; in fact, there seemed to be nothing at all -

He was opening his eyes. He blinked, and sat up calmly before looking between the two men. After a beat of silence, he said, "Hello. I'm DRN-0167, how are you?"

John looked away, biting his tongue. This definitely wasn't his Dorian, and he didn't like it. Rudy noticed and was the first of them to speak. "Hello, DRN-0167. What do you understand in your programming at this time?"

Dorian blinked. "I'm a police officer, assigned to Detective Kennex," he nodded to John, then paused. Blue lights trailed on his face, and he smiled at them. "I believe I'm also addressed as 'Dorian'."

John looked at him. "You're not also addressed as such - that's the only name you have, not some number. You're Dorian, and always will be, understand?"

Dorian nodded. "I understand. From my records, you and I have been partners for exactly two years, six months, and eleven days." He frowned to himself. "It's strange that I can't remember any of this."

Rudy answered again. "There was an...accident. I had to redo everything in your hard drive, so to speak, and you have just a few case files collected. Once you're feeling a little better, I can start adding them back."

Dorian smiled pleasantly, looking at John. "I'd like that, very much. Thank you, Doctor Lom." He stood, and observed his partner a little more.

John wasn't sure what to say. He just stared back, not sure how he felt about all of this. "You've been through a lot, Dorian," he finally said. He extended his hand to the DRN, who took it immediately. "It's...okay if you don't remember stuff right now. I know how that is, believe me."

"Thank you, Detective Kennex. I'll be at your side, assisting you how I can. I appreciate that you're willing to do the same for me."

At that, John looked away. He was going to cry like a bitch, and he couldn't stop it. The room before him became unfocused under the gloss in his eyes. "We're friends, Dorian. You and I look out for each other, because we're friends."

Dorian was smiling at him. "I like that, Detective."

John looked back. "It's John. This is Rudy," he pointed to the technician, "and I'm John."

"John."

* * *

_Well, there you have it. It went on a little longer (because I wasn't paying attention half the time), but I really enjoyed writing this one! Thank you for reading, please let me know your final thoughts on this :) _


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